Save Me
by Lady Krissy Jo
Summary: A hiking accidents left Chelsea missing and a certain someone is trying to find her.


Hello. This is my first real story here on , and I'm hoping it's not utter crap. So, I LOVE the ChelseaxVaughn pairing. Something about a cheery farmer and anti-social cowboy really gets me going! Please enjoy it and leave a review! Positive would be preferred but I'd also love some constructive criticism. Flames will be mocked over a good drink later with my friends.

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><p>When Vaughn stepped off the ship, the chaos that greeted him was not what he expected. Ignoring the fact that it was 6 in the morning and pouring, a crowd of villagers were grouped together. All seemed frantic and upset, and the old man, Taro?, was sending out little parties.<p>

"What's going on?" Even Mr. Antisocial couldn't resist asking.

Most seemed to ignore him, discussing where to search next, but a distraught Natalie answered. "It's Chelsea! She's been missing since yesterday!" The redhead broke down in tears as a cold chill went up Vaughn's back. Chelsea? Missing? "Mom saw her yesterday in the West Forest and no one's seen her since!"

"What time was it." It wasn't really a request, more a demand of information. His voice was low and dangerous, which would've scared anyone in their right mind.

"S-Seven in the evening!" Damn. She's been gone for a while. What happened to her?

"This sucks..." Chelsea sighed, looking over the island from her vantage spot. "I blame myself. Stupid girl. Had to get that fruit. Now look where you are." The woman was laying in the mud, with a large gash on her leg and a bleeding forehead. "Can't walk, can barely crawl." When she had bid goodbye to Mirabelle, she had planned only to go so much farther and go home. But then she saw a rare piece of wild fruit up a good ways on the mountain. The hike wasn't easy, with the rain making the mud slippery. When she finally snagged the fruit, she slipped, fell down to the ledge below, and slashed her leg open on a rock as well as smashing her head. She had been too far up to crawl down but the spot she was in was dangerous, so she had to crawl up to the peak. At least there the ground was stable.

Chelsea had to make herself breath through the pain and exhaustion. It was taking all her energy just to do that and mumble to herself. "I guess I'm going to die up here. Alone. Always alone." She sniffled but tried not to cry. At the very least, she decided, she wanted what little dignity she was afforded.

Vaughn pushed through the brush, ignoring the water that flung back at his face. The search parties had been through here, but they HAD to have missed her. There was no way she could be anywhere else. Natalie had mentioned that no one had checked the mountain, deeming it too dangerous. And there was no way the beloved town heroine would be that stupid.

And Vaughn would've believed that too, until he saw a spot of red at the entrance of the path. It was dirty, tore up and plastered with mud and blood, but the object was still recognizable. A bright red bandanna.

"It had been worth it, right?" The brunette asked herself, casually, to keep herself from hysterics. "I mean, I built a town, raised a ranch, helped my friends. At least I had fun." It was better than expected from the daughter of a broken home. But that was years behind her. The memories, though, weren't. Playing with Johnny in alley. Watching mom and dad fight. Hiding under her covers, covering her ears from the yelling. Seeing Johnny be arrested for robbing a neighbor. Leaving home. She got away from that all and made something of herself.

Gossiping with Natalie. Trying on clothes with Julia. Fishing. Farming. Meeting Vaughn... Getting to know Vaughn. Bringing Vaughn porridge every morning. Getting a rare smile... That would be gone.

Tears welled up again. "Vaughn..." A sob choked in her throat. "Vaughn...!"

"Chelsea?" She froze and looked over. A black blur was running up the path. It took her a few seconds before it came into view.

"Vaughn!"

Vaughn had never felt such relief at the sound of that little whisper when he turned the bend. Sure enough, on the ground, was the broken form of Sunny Island's Rancher. He heard himself yell his name. She seemed to hear him and call for him back. Stopping in front of her, he dropped onto his knees.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He yelled furiously. Chelsea shrank into herself, sniffling. She was obviously in pain, but all that worrying came out as anger. "Are you fucking stupid? If I hadn't of found your bandanna, you could've been dead before we found you!"

Chelsea was full on crying by now, from the pain and terror. "I-I'm sorry-!" She barely got out. Vaughn's eyes softened barely as his anger evaporated. He slowly helped her sit up and she immediately buried her face in his chest, bawling. "I was so scared...! I fell off and hurt my leg, and I c-could only crawl up here for s-safety...! I-I thought I was going to die...!" Vaughn listened, before hugging her.

The two stayed like that for a while, before she calmed down enough for Vaughn to pull back. The cowboy looked at her leg and winced. That would need medical attention. Lucky for them it was summer and Dr. Trent was vacationing. But first, getting her down the mountain. He picked up the brunette, marveling at how light she was. Chelsea hugged his neck for support as he started to make his way slowly down the mountain. Finally safe, the little Rancher drifted off into sleep.

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><p>It was a good 12 hours before she woke up again, in her own bed. Her head was patched up with a soft bandage and her leg wrapped up. Someone had changed her into her pajamas and washed some of the mud off, though not all of it. On her bedside table was a bottle of what looked like medicine and a bowl of a bowl of porridge she prepared yesterday. But what was most astounding was the silver-haired man, asleep in a chair that had been pulled up next to her. Someone had draped a blanket on him and his hat was tossed with his vest to the corner. Chelsea could see he was filthy with dried mud himself and there was definitely a stubble growing on his face. It was so different from the clean and composed man she knew. Carefully she managed to prop herself up and look at him.<p>

The movement seemed to awaken him, because seconds later, his eyes shot open and he jerked the blanket off. "Chelsea?"

"I'm right here." The man's frantic eyes disappeared and his shoulders relaxed a lot.

"You're awake."

"Only just." She looked curiously at him. "How long have you stayed here, Vaughn?" Vaughn glanced at the clock and shrugged. That meant he didn't want to tell, in Vaughn-ese. "I'm sorry. For worrying you." He looked away.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it, you're home." He stood up and stretch, retrieving his vest and hat. "I should head to Mirabelle's. She'll be happy to know you're awake. You had all of them worried."

Chelsea nodded hesitantly, watching as he started to leave. "Vaughn!" He paused and glanced back over his shoulder. She fidgeted with her blanket. "Uhm, I have a shower and washer here..." A silver eyebrow raised and smirk graced his lips.

"Is that so?"

"So... if you're too tired to make it back, you could... stay here. I have a spare bed, too." Her cheeks were dyed red.

He chuckled, a rare sound in itself. "I suppose you'd need someone to baby you and make sure you don't kill yourself." Chelsea scowled but stopped when he turned back into the house. "I'll stay a little while longer."

"Thank you, Vaughn..."

"Don't mention it."


End file.
